Roller platen printing machine



y 27, 1952 J. H. GRUVER ROLLER PLATEN PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7, 1946 mm m k x m Q & M N L m MMIHHIII l HHHHHHH mm llllllll I QmmN @M Q Q Q ww QWN INVENTOR. JOHN H. GRUV ER ATTORNEYS May 27, 1952 J. H. GRUVER ROLLER PLATEN PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIYVENTOR. JOHN H. GRUVER BY ATTORNEYS "I: r i .I

lllliiilill|h May J. H. GRUVER ROLLER PLATEN PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 11 11111111111111. I II \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\w l 4 50 man /111,

INVENTOR.

JOHN H. GRUVER ATTORNEYS Patented May 27, 1952.

UHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLER PLATEN PRINTING MACHINE John H. Grover, East, Cleveland, Ohio, assig'nor Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,

Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1946,- Serial No. 714,806 8 Claims. (01. 101-269 ing data which the store requires, embossed,

thereon. These plates not only serve as an identification of the customer but also may. be used by the store to print the customers name and address in making out sales slips, or similar, records, for purchases made. In using these plates, each customer, upon making a purchase at such a store, presents his or her name plate to the sales clerk so that the clerk, in making out the sales slip, can use the plate to print the name and address or other identification of the customer. Various devices have been used to enable. a clerk to use customers identification tags to print the customers name and address on sales slips. However, the devices which have heretofore been known andused for this purpose have had several inherent disadvantages such as, for example, being awkward and cumbersome to handle, difiicult to operate, slow in operation, and relatively delicate in construction so that they were easily thrown out of adjustment or broken, or, if more strongly constructed, then too heavy in weight for economical manufacture and for practical, efficient use.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a sturdy but lightweight printing machine that may easily be associated with any one of several types of autographic registers now in general use in such a manner that certain data such as, for example, the date, and a customers name and address may be quickly and easily impressed, or printed, on a sales slip, or the-like, being made out in the autographic register.

A further object of my invention is to associate a printing machine with an autographic register in such a manner that a printing device bearing certain data, such as, for example, the name and address of a customer, may be quickly and easily inserted into the machine for the purpose of imprinting the data on a slipvbeing made out in the autographic register, and from which the printing device may quickly and easily be withdrawn, upon completion of the printing operation.

Yet another object of my invention is'to construct a printing machine which, as a unit, may

readily. be inserted into,- and removed from, any one of several of the standard types of autographic registers now in use.

Another, object of my invention-is to so construct a printing machine, of the character adapted to be used in autographic registers, that:

the machine can be quickly and easily adjusted to handle diiierent thicknesses ofpaper.

In general, there are two types of printing;

machines, one type being commonly known as the Stamper-platen type and the other being commonly known as the roller-platen type. In the stamper-platen type the platen and the anvil of the machine are usually moved directly toward and away from each other during a printing operation. In the ;roller-platen" type the relative movement of the anvil and platen is transverse to one another, that is, the platen moves across the face of the anvil, or vice versa, to progressivelypress the printing device against the article to be printed, and it is this latter type, or, in other words, the rollerplaten type, with which my invention is primarily concerned.

In the roller-platen type of printing machine with which my invention is primarily concerned, the roller platen makes a complete reciproca'-' tion' transversely across the face of the printing device positioned in the machine during each cycle of operation. one ofthe problems. with which the prior art has been'concer'ned' with this typeof machine has been-to prevent a separate printing impression from being made on both the forward and return sweep of the roller platen, this being undesirable because such a double impression results inblurred printing, commonly referred to in the art as shadow printing.

Difierent constructions have been utilized heretobefore in an endeavor'to prevent shadow.v

printing in machines of this charact'erf However, such constructions as have been heretobe fore known: have been for the most part either complicated in construction or inefficient in operation, and it is another object of my' invention to construct a printing machine of the fore mentioned character wherein shadow-printing"- is prevented by a simple and efiicient construc- In connection with the foregoing object, it is a further object of my invention to prevent shadow-printing in my novel machine by automatically moving the printing device away from the platen upon completionfof the forward or printing swing'thereof so that during the reverse swing of the platen the printing device is out of printing relation therewith.

In certain instances, and especially in those instances where, for example, the printing devices issued to customers are used not only to provide a means for readily printing a customers name and address on a sales slip but also to readily identify the customers from the noncustomers, it is desirable that the sales clerk be enabled to quickly and accurately check whether the printing device handed her by an alleged customer is actually a valid identification in that particular store Or not. In this connection it is an object of my invention to so construct a printing machine that unless the printing device, which it is attempted to insert into the machine, has certain characteristics which serve to identify it as a printing device validly issued by that particular store, it will not insert into the printing machine properly.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an autographic register embodying my invention and wherein the various parts are shown in printing position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the autographic register shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view taken substantially along the line 33 in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken substantially along the line 44 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 1 and showing certain of the parts in section;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the anvil construction as shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail view taken substantially along the line 8-8 in Fig. 1, showing the anvil in fully open or fully raised position;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the anvil in latched or printing position;

Fig.1!) is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the anvil in the partially raised position which it automatically assumes upon the completion of a printing operation; and

Fig. 1'1 is a detail view of the pivotal connection of the platen arm.

A printing machine embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings mounted in an autographic register. The autographic register may be any one of several standard types, but for purposes of illustration I have shown the type which comprises a casing 24 having a top wall 25, two side walls 26 and 21, two end walls 28 and 29 and a bottom wall 30 removably attached to flanges 3| a and 3lb on the end walls 28 and 29, respectively, by anysuitable means such as screws 32. The top wall is divided into two sections, the front section 25a being rigidly connected to the front end wall 28 and the front end portions of the side walls 26 and 21, and the rear section 25?; being pivotally connected to the rear end wall 29 by means of a hinge 33, Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

The autographic register in which my novel printing machine 26 is shown mounted in the accompanying drawings is of a type commonly used in department stores and the like for the purpose of making out duplex sales slips. In the operation of making out sales slips in the type of autographic register shown, a supply of sales slips S is carried in the bottom portion of the casing 24, either on a roller or in folded form therein, and the sales slips S are fed up over the rear end of a writing tablet 34 and forwardly across the tablet beneath a window or aperture 35 formed in the top wall 25 of the casing 24 and are pulled manually out through a slot in the top wall 25 of the casing 24, which slot is positioned forwardly of the tablet 34. A supply of carbon paper 36 is carried on a roller 31, Figs. 1 and 6, which is rotatably mounted between brackets 39 and 46 attached to the side wall 26 of the casing 24 by any suitable means such as screws 42. The carbon paper 38 from the roller 31 may be fed up through a slot 44, Fig. 1, formed in the tablet 34 and transversely across the tablet 34, so as to extend between sales slip sheets positioned on the tablet 34, the leading edge of the carbon paper 36 extending on outwardly through a slot 46 formed in the side wall 21 of the casing 24. The operator may pull a fresh layer of the carbon paper 36 oif from the roller 31 into position over the tablet 34 whenever desired, by pulling on the leading edge of the carbon sheet 36 which protrudes outwardly from the casing 24 through the slot 46, the used portion of the carbon sheet so pulled out from the slot 46 then being torn off and disposed of.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, the autographic register shown in the accompanying drawings is shown as it would appear when only two copies of a sales slip S are to be made, that is an original and one carbon copy, and therefore only two sales slip sheets are shown as being fed from the bottom of the casing 24 up and across the tablet 34, and only one sheet of carbon paper 36 is shown as being fed from the roller 31 up and across the tablet 34, transversely between the sheets of the duplicate sales slip. However, it will be appreciated that this is shown for illustration purpose only, and that sales slips having a greater number of copy sheets can be used as desired, a correspondingly greater number of carbon sheets 36 then being fed from the roller 31 up and across the tablet 34 and interleafed between the sheets of the sales slip.

It will be appreciated that in filling out a sales slip, the sales clerk or other person operating the autographic register shown in the accompanying drawings writes the identifying data regarding the article purchase and the price, etc., on the top sales slip, and, more specifically, on that portion of the top sales slip which is positioned over the tablet 34 in registration with the window 35, using the tablet 34 as a supporting surface. In autographic registers heretofore known to the art, a writing tablet similar to the tablet 34 has been positioned below the window 35 but was fastened to the casing 24. In the autographic register shown in the accompanying drawings this tablet has been removed and the tablet 34 shown therein is attached to, and forms. an integral part of, my novel printing age-98311611 the-rear end: portions of the tablet 34, the platen arm 50 and the supporting plate 48 together. The forward end portion of the table is-sec'ured'tothe supporting plate48 by any suitable means suchas screws 56 and 51, which extend throughthe tablet 34=and suitablespacing blocks- Bil'and 6|, and are threaded into tapped holes- The spacing formed in the supporting plate 48. blocks fifl' and'fil are positioned suiiiciently close to the side edges of' the tablet that they. are

clear of the sweep of theplaten arm at, as will be more apparenthereinafter.

As isbestseen in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, a channelshape'd' bracket 63.is attached to the upper surface of the supporting plate 48 by any suitable means such as, for example, by welding. An anvil 6'5has one end pivotally attached to two side anns61- and 68 of the bracket 63 by means of: a bolt- 10, sothat the anvil 65 is free to be pivoted into the upper or open position. shown in Fig. 8 and into the downward or closed position shownin Figs. 1, 2' and 9; As is best seen in Figs. 3 and 8, two substantially. L.-shaped lugs 12' and I3 depend fromv the lower surface of the anvil 65 and form a channel into which a printing plate 15 may be slid and thereby retained. in printing position onthe anvil'65. A series of lugs 11, 11a,.11b, 11c, and 'IId,'.Fig. 4, depend. from the anvil 6.5 and. provide. a. series of: channels into which individual printing plates 18,"!8A, 18B and 180, respectively, may be positioned and retained in printing positionon the anvil 65; 18B and 780 may bear indicia indicating such semi-permanent data, pertinent to sales slips, asthe date, month, clerk and department, respectively, these plates being changed only periodicallysuch as, for example, once each day, whenyit is nec'essary to change the plate 18A, indicating the date.

The free end portion of the anvil 65, opposite the'end'attached to the side arms 61' and 68 of the bracket 63, has an upwardly turned flange IS-"extending therefrom which forms a handle or-finger gripfor raising and lowering the anvil 65 into open and closed positions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the supporting plate 48 is the basic supporting member of my printing machine 20 and that'the other elements of my printing machine 20 such as the platen arm 50, the tablet 34 and the anvil 65- are attached thereto, and carried thereby, so thatmy printing machine 20 forms a compact unit which may be easily inserted into, and removed from, the casing 24 of an autographic register as a unit.

Two flanges82 and 83 extend downwardly from opposite sides of the rear end portion of v the supporting. plate 48 and form brackets by which this rear end portion of thesupporting plate 48 maybe attachedto the side walls 26 and 21', inside the casing 24, by any suitablemeans such as screws Bland 85, Figs. 1 and2. Two brackets 81 and 88", Figs. 2 and 8, similar to the brackets 82 and 83,- depend from the forward end. portion of the-supporting plate 48v and are attached to the side walls 21'- and 2-6, respectively, of the Theselatter printing plates 18, 18A,.

casing- 24 byany: suitable meansisuch;asascrews 89. As is-best seen in Figs; 5 and 6,'a. 510cm: is: provided in the top wall 25 of the-casing am; the bracket 63', theianvil 65 and otherassociated; mechanism is positioned in this slot; The brackets 81 and 88', which depend from-- opposite sides of the forward; end portion of the support;v ingplate 48, project downwardly. below the-lower? extremity of the slot 9| down'along .theouter. surface of the casing 24.

As is'best seen in'Fig's. 5 and 8.an.anvililatch1 93', having two latching arms 94 and- 9.5," the lower end portions of. which are interconnected by. a plate 96, is pivotally mounted onaJbOltz. Nil journaled in ears 98' and 99 which project: outwardly. from the bracket 81 on the support r ingplate 48, the bolt IOI projectingthroughthm bracket ears 98 and 99' and through the-"lower; end portions of the latching arms 94'. and; 951" The lower end portion of. the latch plate. v is oifset outwardly from. the bracket 8-|= to form-a flange 96a, and a compression spring; I05; mounted between the flange 96a.- and the bracket: 81, tends to rock the latch 95in a counter'clockr wise direction, as viewed in Fig. 8, intolatching position.

As is best seen in Figs. 1 and 9, whenjthe; anvil 651s in. lowered or printing position-,itei'si releasably held in such position: by overlying hook portions 94a and 95a on the upper; end 'por tions of the latch arms 94i and 95, respectively;- which are yieldingly urged by thespring.- 10.3: into latching position. When theanvilpfifiiz islatched in this lowered position, Fig; 9,. itfiis;

. yieldingly urged upwardly by a spring l05..wh-ich" has one end portion attached to the 'anvil: 65. by any suitable means such as rivets: lflfiyan'd the other end portion of which is in engagement. with the upper surface of the lowermember. of the channel-shaped bracket 63 adjacent to the latch 93. When the latch 93 is in'latchingpoe sition, the release spring I05 is ineflective to' raise the anvil 65. However; when thalatch-QS is in released position the spring 15 is efi'ective to raise the anvil 65 somewhat, as is best shown in Fig. 10.

The platen arm 50 which, aswas previously stated, is pivotally mounted on the supporting plate 48 by means of the rivet 52, extends forwardly under the tablet S t-and theanvil 65' and projects through a slot I08 formed in the forward end portion 25a of the top wall 25 of the-casing 24. The outwardly projecting portion of the platen-arm 50 has a hole I09 formed therein-t0- provide a finger grip or-hand grip to be used in' swinging the platen arm 50 in a reciprocatory manner under the anvil 65, during a printing-015'- eration as will be described in greater detail he1-e-'- inafter.

A platen roller H0, Figs. 1 and 6, is-rotat'ably mounted in two supporting blocks l ll' and- H2- which are secured to the upper surfaceof the platen arm 50 by any suitable means such as, for example, screws H3 and I I4, the correct posi: tioning of the supporting blocks Ill and 20h the platen arm 50 being assured by dowl pins I I5, Fig. 1, protruding from the lower survfac'e of the supporting blocks Ill and H2 engag-ingdn corresponding openings formed in theuppers'ur face of the platen arm 50. The platen roller H0 is so positioned longitudinally of the platen arm 50 that when, during a printing operation, the arm. 50 isreciprocatedfrom the normal at rest position. shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 to the extreme forward positionv shown Fig- 10"- and in dotted lines in Fig. l, the roller H is moved beneath and in close relation to the anvil 65 and presses the sales slips S against the printing plates positioned on the lower face of the anvil 65 to cause a printing impression to be made thereon, that portion of the sales slips S which extends from the tablet 34 to the slot 9| being positioned between the roller H0 and the anvil 65. As is best seen in Figs. 6 and '7, carbon papers I and I2I are attached to supporting bars I23 and I24, respectively, mounted on a side member of the bracket 53, and extend forwardly under the anvil 65. The sales slips S which are fed from on top of the tablet 34, under the anvil 65 and outwardly through the top Wall of the casing 24, are interleafed between the carbon sheets I20 and I2I so that when pressure is applied to the top carbon paper I20, between the roller II 0 and the anvil 65, the printing plates I5, I8, "IBA, 18B and 58C, carried by the anvil 65 press each of the carbon papers I20 and I2I, respectively, against a sales slip positioned immediately therebelow, to thereby produce an inked impression on each sales slip.

In the operation of my novel printing machine it is important that the platen roller IIO be correctly spaced from the anvil 65 so as to apply the proper amount of pressure to the sales slips orother sheets which are passed therebetween during a printing operation. For this purpose it is desirable that the space between the anvil 65 and the platen roller I I0 be adjustable so that the number of sheets of paper which it is desired to print in one operation by my machine is somewhat flexible and may be varied to a certain extent. In this connection it will be noted that the spacing between the anvil 65 and the platen roller I I0, in my machine, may be easily adjusted by properly turnin the bolts 70 and IN which are formed eccentrically and which therefore upon rotation tend to raise or lower the anvil 65 and the latch 93, respectively.

From the foregoing description ofthe construction of, my novel printing machine 20, it will .be apparent that this machine can easily be inserted into or removed from the casing 24, insertion of the printing machine 20 being easily accomplished by raising the rear end portion 25b of the top wall 25 of the casing 24 on its hinge 33, and then through the opening thus provided in the top wall 25 inserting the handle I09 of the platen arm into the casing and out through the slot I08. The body of the printing machine is then moved into position with the bracket 63 resting in the slot 9I formed in the casing 24, and the corresponding openings in the side walls 26 and 21 of the casing 24 being in alignment with the corresponding openings in the brackets 82, 83, 81 and 88. The brackets 82, 83, 81 and 88 are then secured to the side walls 26 and 21 by means of the screws 04, 85 and 89. The sales slips S, the carbon paper 38 and the carbon papers I20 and I2I should then be properly positioned, as previously described, and the autographic register is ready for operation.

In a typical operation of my novel printing machine, as applied to an autcgraphic register, a suitable supply of sales slips S or other sheets are placed in the lower portion of the casmg 24 and are fed upwardly into position over the tablet 34 and the platen roller II 0, the forward end edge portion of the leading sales slip being fed outwardly through that portion of the slot 9I positioned between the front edge portion of the anvil 65 and the rear edge portion of the front top wall 25a of the casing 24. For purposes of illustration it will be assumed that it is desired to produce merely an original and one carbon of the sales slips in question although, it will be appreciated, that, as previously stated, a greater number of sales slips may be produced by merely increasing the number of sales slips and sheets of carbo paper which are used, and adjusting the spacing between the anvil 65 and the platen roller IIO accordingly, by properly turning the bolts I0 and l0I.

After the sales slips have been positioned across the tablet and under the roller II 0 and out through the top wall of the casing as just described, so as to properly position the first set of sales slips to be produced with their heading portions lying below the anvil 65 and their body portions lying below the window 35, the carbon paper 36 may be advanced from the roller 31 upwardly through the slot 44 and across the tablet 34, and out through the slot 46 formed in the side wall 21 of the casing 24, the carbon being interleafed between the sales slips in positioning it across the tablet 34.

It will be noted that in feeding the sales slips 24 under the anvil 65, the top sales slip is fed between the supporting bars I23 and I24 so as to underlie the top carbon paper I20 and the bottom sales slip is fed under the bar I24 so as to underlie the lower carbon slip I2I.

In making out a sales slip using the autographic register shown in the accompanying drawings, the sales clerk after making a sale to a customer takes the individual identification tag or printing plate I5 from the customer and slips it forwardly into the space between the lugs I2 and I3 projecting from the anvil 65, the anvil 65 being in raised or partially raised position for this operation, 50 that the lugs I2 and I3 are positioned above the top edge of the bracket 63. If the printing plate I5 so positioned between the lugs I2 and I3 is one which was issued by the store at which the customer is making the purchase, it will properly fit the printing machine 20 and, when slid into position between the lugs I2 and I3 will readily assume! proper printing position, which may be visually checked by the clerk. As is best seen in Fig. l, the printing plate I5 adapted to be used with the printing machine 20 shown in the drawings has a series of accurately positioned grooves or notches 200, 200A, 20013, 2000, 200D, 200E and 200F formed in the front edge portion thereof, one of such notches, namely, the notch 200F, being properly formed and positioned to embrace an abutment or pin 202 projecting outwardly from the anvil 65 at a predetermined position thereon. The plate 15 is so shaped and is of such size that when it is properly positioned between the lugs I2 and T3 the rear edge portion thereof lies in alignment with the rear edge portion of the anvil 05. Therefore, it will be apparent that the clerk can readily make a visual check as to whether or not the printing plate handed her is one which is authorized to be used in the store in question. Also, it will be noted that if the printing plate in question is too large, or if it is of the proper size, but does not have the notch 200F properly positioned thereon, the rear edge of the printing plate will overhang the anvil 65 and not only provide a visual warning that the printing plate is not an authorized one, but will also render the printing machine 20 inoperative because, when it is attempted to lower the anvil 65, it will strike the rear wall 63a of the bracket 63 sion to be made on the sales slips.

"the pin 202 and the cooperating notch F are shown in the drawings for the purpose of illustrating my invention only, and that it is not intended to limit my invention thereto, and that other notches and other abutments may be used without departing from the purview of my invention.

The printing plate 15 having been properly placed in printing position below the anvil 65, and authenticity thereof checked, as just described, the sales clerk presses the anvil 65 downwardly into printing position, whereat the spring I03 snaps the latching member 93 into engagement with the anvil 65 'tohold it in such position until the latch 93 is subsequently released upon completion of the printing operation, as

will presently be described.

The anvil 65, hearing the proper printing devices 15, 18, 78A, 18B, and 180, having been lowered into printing position, the sales clerk then fills in the variable data such as, for example, the name of the article purchased, the price, etc., on that portion of the sales slip S framed by the window 35 in the top wall of the casing 24 and, grasping the outwardly projecting portion 109 of the platen arm 50, moves the platen arm 50 through one reciprocation between the position shown in solid lines and dotted lines, respectively, in Fig. 1. The forward movement of the platen arm 50 (from solid line position to dotted line position) causes the platen roller IIO to move through a printing operation with respect to the anvil 65 to press the sales slips and the carbon sheets I 20 and I2I,

"in position below the anvil 65, into engagement therewith and thereby causing an inked impres- It will be appreciated that the other printing devices I8, 18A, 78B and 18C previously referred to and which bear indicia such as, for example, the day, month, department and clerk, have been previously positioned beneath the anvil 65 in the channels formed between the brackets 17, 11a,

on the upper surface of the supporting plate 48 by any suitable means, such as welding, and causes the bumper I to be sprung outwardly from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10, thereby pressing the latch lever 93 out of engagement with the anvil 65 and freeing the anvil B5 to the upward urging of the spring I05 so that the anvil 65 is swung slightly upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 10. This upward swinging of the anvil 65 is sufficient to move it outwardly out of engagement with the sales slips positioned therebelow so that on return movement of the platen armthe platen roller IIO does not cause the sales slips to be pressed against the printing devices mounted on the lower face of the anvil and therefore double printing or shadow-printing is prevented.

Upon completion of the filling out of the sales slip in the aforedescribed manner the sales clerk grasps the forwardly projecting edge portion of the sales slips S and manually pulls the sales slips out through the slot 9I between the anvil and the front upper wall 25a of the casing 24 so that the sales slips S just made out are withdrawn from the casing 24 and a newer fresh sales slip is placed in filling-out position beneath the anvil 65 and the window 35. The filled-out sales slips are then torn off and properly distributed, usually one copy goingto the customer and one-copy to the store.

As previously stated, fresh carbon may be positioned beneath the window 35 v above the tablet 34 by grasping that portion of the carbon 36 which projects from the slot, and pulling a fresh supply across the tablet 34 from the roller 31, and then tearing the old carbonoff exteriorly of the casing 24. Also it will be appreciated that afresh supply of carbons I20 and -I2I maybe placed in my machine by removing the old carbons I20 and I21 and attaching new carbon sheets to the rods I23 and I24 and properly positioning the carbons under the anvil 65 and with respect to the sales slips positioned in the autographic register. 0

It will be appreciated that, although, for purposes of illustration, I have *described my printing machine as it would be arranged and operated to make out a sales slip in a typical autographic register in use in stores today, this is for the purpose of illustrating my invention only and I do not intend to be limited thereto, it being apparent that my printing machine is equally as well adapted for use in other specific types of autographic registers,'and for-other purposes such as, for example, in 'filling out record slips in libraries, tool rooms and the like.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that -I have provided a :novel lightweight but sturdy printing machine which may easily be inserted into and removed from any one of a number of different types of autographic registers now on the market with a minimum of alteration being necessary on the 'autographic register.

Furthermore, it will be noted that I have provided a printing machine which is simple in operation, and which operates in such amanner that good clear printing, without overprinting or shadow printing, is assured.

Also it will be noted that my novel printing machine may be easily adjusted so as to handle any practical number of sales slips or the like which it is desired to make in a single operation.

Hence, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes'and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Means for impressing information on'toian article from a printing device comprising; in combination, a supporting member, an anvil pivotally mounted on said member and adapted to support a printing device 'in printing position above said member, a platen arm pivotally mounted on said member, said platen armbeing reciprocable transversely on said anvil between said anvil and said member, means including a tablet carried by said member and overlying'said platen arm for supporting an article to be printed between said anvil and said platen arm, and a roller rotatably mounted'on said platen'arm below said anvil and adapted to press such an article into printing relation with a printing device carried by said anvil during a reciprocation of said platen arm.

2. In a printing machine, a supporting member, an anvil pivoted to said supporting member to swing to and from printing position, a latching member carried by said supporting member operable to latch said anvil when it is swung to printing position, a platen roller, means including a lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member for rolling said roller across the anvil in a printing operation, and mechanism mounted on said supporting member and engageable by said lever to release said latching member from latching relation to said anvil substantially at the end of the printing operation.

3. A printing machine comprising the combination of a supporting member, an anvil pivotally mounted on said supporting member, said anvil having a raised or opened position and a lowered or printing position, means for releasably latching said anvil in printing position, a platen arm movably mounted on said supporting member below said anvil and operable to reciprocate between said member and said anvil, means carried by said anvil for supporting a printing device in printing position, and means carried by said platen arm for pressing an article into printing relation to a printing device supported by said anvil during a reciprocation of said platen arm.

4. A printing machine comprising, in combination, a substantially plate-shaped supporting member, an anvil pivotally mounted on said member and having an opened position and a printing position, means carried by said supporting member for releasably latching said anvil in printing position, means carried by said anvil for supporting a printing device in printing position wherein said printing device faces said supporting member in substantially parallel relation thereto, a platen arm reciprocably mounted on said supporting member and operable to be reciprocated between such a printing device and said supporting member during a printing operation, means carried by said platen arm for pressing an article to be printed against a printing device carried by said anvil in printing position during a reciprocation of said platen arm, said platen arm being efiective to engage said first named means upon completion of a printing operation to thereby release the latter from latching relation to said anvil, and means for automatically moving said anvil toward said opened position upon release of said anvil by said first named means.

5. A printing machine for printing sales slips, or the like, for use in autographic registers of the type which includes a casing within which a supply of sales slips, or the like, is positioned, and which casing has a window opening through which sales slips may be written on, said printing machine comprising the combination of a supporting plate, means for attaching said plate to such a casing in substantially parallel relation to said window, an anvil pivotally carried by said plate and operable to be swung into open or closed position relative thereto, means carried by said plate and engageable with said anvil for releasably latching said anvil in said closed position, said anvil being adapted to support a printing device in printing position, means, including a platen arm, carried by said plate between the latter and said anvil and movable relative to said anvil and adapted to press a sales slip into printing relation with a printing device on said anvil, and

12 means operable by said last named means, during movement thereof, to release said latching means from latching relationship with said anvil.

6. A printing machine unit for use in an autographic register of the type which includes a casing within which a supply of interconnected sales slips may be stored, and which casing includes a substantially horizontally disposed window through which one of such sales slips may be written upon, and which casing has an opening through which completed sales slips may be removed from the casing, said printing machine unit comprising the combination of a supporting plate having forward and rearward end portions, means attached to said forward and rearward end portions for supporting said plate in substantially parallel relation to said window within such a casing, a bracket extending upwardly from the forward end portion of said plate, an anvil pivotally mounted on an eccentric member in said last named bracket, said anvil having a raised or open position and a closed or printing position relative to said plate, a platen arm piv otally mounted on said plate and extending forwardly between said plate and said anvil and being reciprocable therebetween during a printing operation, said platen arm being adapted to extend forwardly out through said casing when said printing machine is supported in operable position within said casing, a roller rotatably carried by and extending upwardly above said platen arm, said roller being positioned adjacent to said anvil and operable to reciprocate with said platen arm and adapted to press a sales slip against said anvil during a reciprocation of said arm, means including a tablet carried by said plate for supporting a sales slip between said platen arm and said anvil, said tablet being adapted to underlie said window in registration therewith when said plate is in operable position within said casing, a latching member pivotally mounted on an eccentric member carried by said plate, said latching member being operable to releasably latch said anvil in printing position, a lug member carried by said supporting plate and positioned in the path of reciprocation of said platen arm so as to be struck thereby during a reciprocation of the latter, said lug member being operable upon being struck by said platen arm during a reciprocation of the latter to release said latching member from latching relation with said anvil, and spring means carried by said anvil and operable to urge said anvil toward open position upon release of said latching member from latching relation with said anvil.

7. A printing machine comprising the combination of a supporting member, an anvil pivotally mounted on said member and having an open position and a closed or printing position, said anvil being adapted to support a printing device in predetermined position thereon, a latching member mounted on said supporting member and engageable with said anvil for releasably latching said anvil in said printing position, a platen arm reciprocably mounted on said supporting member and operable to be reciprocated between said supporting member and said anvil during a printing operation, means carried by said platen arm for pressing an article to be printed into printing relation with a printing device carried by said anvil in said predetermined position thereon during a reciprocation of said arm, a bumper member mounted on said supporting member and having a movable portion engaged with said latching member and movable in one direction to move said latching member out of said latching engagement with said anvil, said bumper member being disposed in the path of said reciprocation of said platen lever, said platen lever being operable during said reciprocation thereof to move said movable portion of said bumper member in said one direction to thereby move said latching member out of latching engagement with said anvil, and means for moving said anvil toward said opened position upon release of said latching member from latching engagement therewith.

8. In a printing machine, a substantially plateshaped supporting member, an anvil pivotally mounted on one edge of said supporting member in position to swing toward and away from said supporting member into and out of printing position, means mounted on said member to latch the anvil when it is swung to printing position, a

14 roller disposed parallel to said supporting mem ber, means pivotally mounted on said supporting member for supporting said roller for traversing said anvil in a printing operation when the latter is in printing position, and means controlled by the roller traversing means arranged to release the latching means substantially at the end of the printing operation.

JOHN H. GRUVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 615,024 Hoff Nov. 29, 1898 1,916,985 Ogsbury et a1 July 4, 1933 2,102,787 Christenson Dec. 21, 1937 20 2,290,097 Dunn July 14, 1942 

